Click on the play button to listen to report.

With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. As the partisan bickering continues on the political stage, is any real work getting done amid the noise? Growers in our state would like to think we’re making at least a little ground on things like DACA and Ag Labor.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says this is a matter of great importance …

NEWHOUSE … “I’m working with several people right now on that issue. I just talked to the Ranking member of the Judiciary Committee who has the jurisdiction on Ag Labor reform. We are working on, kind of picking up where we left off last session on coming together with language that we could bring in bill form.”

Newhouse believes there’s going to be opportunities for progress …

NEWHOUSE … “It’s something that both Republicans and Democrats see as needing to be solved. Like I said, this whole border security issue, what we have for us today is kind of a step, kind of a down payment for what the President wants. So, I think there’ll be opportunities in the future to be able to couple other aspects of immigration reform, including ag labor and DACA in packages in the future.”

So, work on this matter is getting done? Newhouse says absolutely …

NEWHOUSE … “This is a high priority, as you know. I keep working and trying to find ways through the appropriations process to make changes, positive changes where I can, but we really need a more uniform, larger fix and there’s work going on to do that.”

Newhouse says it’s not likely to be a unanimous vote, but he’s confident all parties can come together and avoid another government shutdown and slow further the progress of important matters like ag labor reform.